Disciples of Christ Retreat, Lecture 3, 1971 July 24

Description

In this third lecture from the Disciples of Christ Retreat, Thurman discusses the conflict and strife that arises in the dynamics of commitment. To yield our inner authority to God is to give up initiative over our own lives; we belong to God, and not simply our own interests and urges. However, Thurman says, that deep down we know that God might lead us into places we did not plan, and perhaps would not have preferred. Thus, religious experience involves both a yielding of our lives to God, as well as snatching our lives back. Surrendering to God is not a singular event, but a never-ending process. Thurman says that prayer and meditation is not enough to keep the commitment, but rather it must be lived out in the traffic of life.